The present invention relates to dental equipment in general, and more particularly to an evacuator disinfectant and flush system.
An evacuator is a device used by a dentist to evacuate excess saliva and debris from the mouth area while the dentist does dental work in the patient's mouth. The evacuator usually includes a disposable mouth piece in the form of an end pipe element placed in the patient's mouth and is connected to a suction source by an extended tube, and serves to suck out the waste material and saliva from the mouth area for disposal into a waste container.
While the particular pipe element inserted in the mouth is generally disposable or, at least, sterilizable, the main flow tube leading from the mouth piece to the waste container is reused as a stationary part of the evacuator and therefore builds up on its interior walls contaminants, contagious particles, etc. which can accumulate and build obstructions to the suction flow as well as providing a breeding ground for contamination and infection. A technical dental assistant is required to flush out the tubing leading to the waste container, generally once a day. However, at the end of the day there is already contamination build-up in the tubing. Furthermore, the job of flushing is a messy one which is to be avoided. In addition, the obstruction build-up may require manual cleaning of the flow tube. Also, organic tissue may accumulate in the tubing and become of such large proportions that in accordance with Federal regulations may require special handling and disposal.
Cleaning and flushing of the flow is typically carried out with special disinfectants which are stored in special containers and connected by additional tubing to the flow tube of the evacuator. Such additional tubing has also required storage and/or should be disposable.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide means that would make flushing and cleaning of the waste evacuator tubing much easier and faster and which greatly reduce the possibility of contamination and infection.